Juice concentrate dispenser valve



July 1955 c. c. BAUERLEIN JUICE CONCENTRATE DISPENSER VALVE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1950 [EVEN/UP CAR! C BAUERZE/N y 1956 c.c. BAUERLEIN JUICE CONCENTRATE DISPENSER VALVE 2 Sheets 2 Filed Sept.15, 1950 Z U CARL C. BAUERZEIN am a United States Patent JUICECONCENTRATE DISPENSER VALVE Carl C. Bauerlein, Mukwonago, Wis., assignorto The Dole Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication September 13, 1950, Serial No. 184,641

6 Claims. (Cl. 137-604) This invention relates to dispensers of a typeparticularly adapted to dilute concentrates and dispense them in theform of a palatable drink.

It is a prerequisite in dispensers which dilute and dispenseconcentrates that the concentrate be mixed with and diluted by ameasured volume of water and that the diluting and mixing valve for theWater and concentrate be of simple construction made from corrosionresistant materials with no passages, shoulders or ridges which cannotreadily be cleaned in order to assure freedom from bacteria and complywith health department standards. It is also necessary that the parts ofthe valve may readily be removed by hand without the use of tools, bysimply lifting the parts from the valve chamber.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a mixing anddispensing valve arranged with a view toward utmost simplicity inconstruction and operation with the operating means for the valve on theoutside of the valve chamber out of the path of the concentrate andWater being mixed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improveddispenser of a simplified and novel construction and arrangementutilizing a permanent magnet on the outside of the valve chamber as thereturn spring of the valve.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel andimproved form of valve for dispensers for concentrates so arranged thatthe parts thereof may readily be removed by hand for cleaning withoutthe use of tools.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedform of dispenser valve utilizing a flexible flow control member whichalso forms a seal for the valve chamber.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel andimproved form of dispenser valve for juice concentrates including amixing and flow characterizing head having a flexible flow controlmember extending across the bottom and along the side wall of the headwherein the flow passageways for the Water for diluting the juiceconcentrate are in the form of open grooves on the walls of the flexibleflow control member.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an efiicient formof flow control valve wherein the valve member is in the form of anarmature rectilinearly moved to an open position upon the energizationof an electric magnet and wherein the electrical center of the magnet isso located with respect to the valve chamber that the armature willautomatically come to a stop as it reaches that center prior toengagement with a solid abutment or stop.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time asthe following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary partial diagrammatic view in side elevation ofa dispenser constructed in accordance ice with my invention, withcertain parts thereof broken away and certain other parts shown insection;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a mixing and flow characterizing valveconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the mixing and flowcharacterizing valve shown in Figure 2 and taken substantially alongline III-HI of Figure 2, showing the valve in a closed position;

Figure 4 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 3 but showing the valve inan open position;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a flow control diaphragm constructedin accordance with my invention; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the flow control diaphragmtaken substantially along line VI-VI of Figure 5.

In Figure 1 of the drawings I have shown a portion of a liquid dispenserfor diluting various types of concentrates, and more particularly fordiluting juice concentrates to the normal consistency of the juice ofthe fresh natural fruit and delivering a cool uniformly mixed juice fordrinking purposes. This dispenser may include a casing 10 having acontainer or tank 11 for the juice concentrate mounted therein adjacentthe upper end thereof and open at the top thereof. The tank 11 may be ofa generally cylindrical form closed by a cover 12 and having a slopingbottom 13. The bottom 13 slopes uniformly to a valve chamber 14 flushwith said bottom and depending therefrom. The tank 11 and vaive chamber14 may be made from a corrosion resistant material, such as stainlesssteel, and besides resisting corrosion of fruit juices such as lemonjuice are also free from all shoulders or recesses within which bacteriamay breed. The metal tank 11 is shown as being encircled byrefrigerating coils 15 to maintain the temperature of the juiceconcentrate sufficiently low to prevent the breeding of bacteriatherein. It should be understood that the tank 11 and valve chamber 14,being made of metal, and being well insulated may aid the refrigerationcoils 15 to retain the temperature of the concentrate low enough toprevent the breeding of bacteria for some time after the refrigeratingunit is shut oil.

The valve chamber 14, as herein shown, is of a generally cylindricalformation having an upper flange which may be recessed within the bottomof the tank 11 and be welded or soldered thereto, and having an invertedfrusto-conical open bottom portion 16 converging to a delivery nozzle17.

The casing 10 may also have a compressor, motor and condenser (notshown) for a refrigerating unit, which may be contained therein.

It should here be noted that suitable temperatures at which the juiceconcentrate may be maintained have been found to be from 25 to 32 F.,although it may be maintained at higher or lower temperatures as long asthe concentrate will flow relatively freely or is sufficiently cold toprevent the breeding of bacteria, it being understood that the freezingtemperature of the concentrate is much lower than that of water, thefreezing temperature of concentrated fruit juices being in theneighborhood of 18 F.

A supply pipe 19 for diluting water may enter the casing 10 through thewall thereof (not shown) and may extend upwardly through said casing toa position adjacent the top of the cooling coils 157 The pipe 19 maythen be coiled around the outside of said cooling coils in spacedrelation with respect thereto as indicated by reference character 20.The supply pipe 19 is shown as being connected at its delivery end witha constant delivery solenoid operated valve 21 arranged to deliver auniform volume of water upon the energization of a solenoid controllingoperation of said valve. The valve 21 may be of any well known formdelivering a constant volume of water upon energization of a solenoidand is no part of my present invention so need not herein be shown ordescribed in detail. A pipe 23 leads from the discharge end of the valve21 to an enlarged upper shouldered portion of the valve chamber 14 andis connected thereto through a Wall 24 thereof by means of a fitting 25secured to said wall. The wall 24 terminates in a generallyfrusto-conical shoulder 26 upon which a flow control and sealingdiaphragm 27 of a mixing and flow characterizing head 29 normally restsduring operation of the dispenser.

A valve member 30 having a central upwardly projecting characterizedvalve element 31 is slidably mounted in the valve chamber 14 beneath theflow charaterizing head 29. The valve element 31 is movable intoposition to engage an orifice 32 of the diaphragm 2'7 and block the flowof concentrate therethrough. Said valve element is herein shown as beingspherical but may be of any characterized form to restrict the orifice32, and provide a characterized flow therethrough when the valve is inan open position and the head of concentrate on the diaphragm 27 movessaid diaphragm toward said valve element. The valve member 30 is hereinshown as having a generally cylindrical wall 36 slidably guided withinthe valve chamber 14- and as having a spider 37 extending across thelower end thereof and forming a support for a plunger 39 having thevalve element 31 mounted on its upper end and herein shown as beingmounted thereon. The plunger 39 depends from the spider 37 through thenozzle 17 and affords a means for opening the valve by hand against apermanent magnet 40, serving as a retaining spring for the valve.

The valve element 31 is herein shown as having a characterized upper endportion engageable with the orifice 32 to block the flow of fluidtherethrough and as having a depending frusto-conical skirt 42 extendinglaterally from said valve element to deflect the juice concentrate ontoa mixing table 43. The mixing table 43 is herein shown as beingthreadedon the plunger 39 beneath the skirt 42, and receives the concentratedischarged through the orifice 32 and water discharged angularly alongthe shoulder 26 through passageways 44-44 formed between the innerperipheries of the walls 24 and 26 of the valve chamber 14 and thediaphragm 27. The diaphragm 27 is spaced from the walls 24 and 26 bymeans of generally triangular ribs 4545 extending from said diaphragmand having their bases along the periphery of said diaphragm and formingpassageways therebetween diverging toward said mixing table.

The permanent magnet 40 is herein shown as being of an annular formencircling the valve chamber 14 and engaging the under side of thefrusto-conical wall 26 thereof. Said magnet may be made from Alnico orany other suitable alloy having high magnetic properties and retainingthese properties over indefinite periods of time, and serves as a returnspring for the valve, located entirely outside of the valve chamber, outof the way of the fiuid passing therethrough.

The valve member 30 may be made from a magnetic type of stainless steelwhich will resist the corrosive action of the juices passingtherethrough. One such type of magnetic steel which has been found to besatisfactory and which resists the corrosive action of the juicesincluding lemon juice is a No. 430 magnetic type of stainless steel,although this particular steel need not be used as there are variousother types of such steel which may also be suitable.

An electromagnet 47 encircles the valve chamber 14, adjacent the lowerend thereof just above the conical wall 16, and when energized moves thevalve member 30 and valve element 31 into the open position shown inFigure 4. The electromagnet 47 is so located along the outside of thevalve chamber 14 with respect to the permanent magnet 40, that themagnetic forces acting on the valve member 30, which is the armature ofthe solenoid, will balance prior to engagement of said valve member withthe bottom portion 16 of the chamber 14 when said electromagnet isenergized and said valve mem her will automatically come to a stop priorto engagement with said converging Wall portion. The electromagnet 47thus not only serves to open the valve but is also balanced with thepermanent magnet 40 to arrest travel of the valve member or armature 30so that it cannot move any further under the impulse of saidelectromagnet. The valve member 30 will thus come to a stop before itpositively engages any fixed abutment in the valve chamber such as thefrusto-conical bottom portion 16 thereof. This eliminates all chatteringof the valve and assures a quiet and positively opening valve, it beingunderstood that travel of the valve member 30 in an opposite directionis arrested by the rubber diaphragm 27, which acts as acushion for thevalve during valve closing movement.

The mixing and flow characterizing head 29 may be formed or molded fromone of the well known thermoplastic materials and is shown as being of agenerally annular formation having a bridge 49 extending diametricallythereacross and as having a diametral passageway 51 extendingtherethrough and opening to opposite sides of said head. A hand grip 50projects upwardly from the central portion of the bridge 49 to enablesaid flow characterizing head to be readily removed from the valvechamber 14 by hand for cleaning. Said mixing and flow characterizinghead has an annular passageway 52 extending therearound and opening tothe periphery thereof and communicating with opposite ends of thediametral passageway 51. The annular passageway 51 also communicateswith ports 5353 in the wall of the diaphragm 27. The diametralpassageway 51 is of a smaller cross sectional area than the crosssectional area of the annular passageway 52 and has a jet 56 leadingdownwardly therefrom adjacent the transverse center thereof anddirecting a high velocity jet of water through the orifice 32 of thevalve element 31, scavenging said orifice and valve element of juiceconcentrate and pulp contained therein and also aspirating the juiceconcentrate through said orifice.

The high velocity jet is attained by the venturi elfect obtained by thedifference in cross-sectional area between the passageways 51 and 52resulting in the discharge of a high velocity jet of water through theorifice 32 onto the valve element 31.

The diaphragm 27 may be formed preferably by molding from a suitableelastic material such as rubber, neoprene, or any other similar materialand is herein shown as having a central semi-spherical flow controldiaphragm portion 57 extending upwardly within the open portion of thehead 29 which has the orifice 32 extending through the center thereof.An upright annular flange 59 extends upwardly from the outer margin ofsaid central diaphragm portion and is seated within the inner wall ofthe mixing and flow characterizing head 29. The diaphragm 27 also has afrusto-conical bottom portion 66 extending from the outer margin of thediaphragm portion 57 along the frusto-conical bottom of the mixing head29 to the outer margin thereof, and terminating into a Vertical wallportion 61 extend-upwardly therefrom along the outer wall of the head 2?to a position near the top of said head. The upper end of the wallportion 61 is ribbed or flanged, as indicated by reference character 62,and has an annular recess 64 formed on the inner side thereof engageablewith an annular rib 65 extending around the periphery of the mixing head29 a slight distance beneath the top thereof and serving to retain saiddiaphragm to said mixing head with the flange 62. in sealing engagementwith the wall of the valve chamber 14. The diaphragm 27 thus completelyencloses the portion of the mixing head 29 exposed to the valve chamber14, and

area-17a.

besides serving as a flow control member also performs a sealing and aflow guiding function, rendering the use of separate sealing rings andclosed passageways unnecessary and guiding the water discharged into thevalve chamber 14 through the passageways 44-44 formed by the ribs 45-45.

Referring now to Figure 4, it will be observed that when the electricmagnet coil 47 is energized the valve element 31 will move downwardly tofully open the orifice 32- of the diaphragm 27 and permit the flow ofjuice concentrate through said orifice under the scavenging andaspirating effect of the high velocity jet discharged through the jetpassageway 56. As, however, the head of concentrate on a semi-sphericaldiaphragm portion 57 of the diaphragm 27 increases, said diaphragmportion will flex downwardly and the orifice 32 will move toward thevalve element 31. In a contrary manner, as the concentrate is dispensedwithout being replaced, the diaphragm will flex in an opposite directionaway from the valve element 31. The cross sectional flow area of theorifice 32 will thus increase or decrease as the head of concentratethereon varies, maintaining the volume of concentrate discharged throughsaid orifice uniform regardless of the amount of concentrate in the tank11.

The electro-magnets 22 and 47 of the valves 21 and 3% may besimultaneously energized by pressure of the finger on a pushbutton 65 onan outside wall 66 of the casing 10. When the electro-magnets 22 and 47are energized, the valves 21 and 30 will simultaneously open and delivera uniform volume of water to dilute and mix with a uniform volume ofconcentrate delivered through the orifice 32. One suitable proportion ofwater to concentrate may be approximately three-fourths water toonefourth concentrate. It is of course obvious that this proportion mayvary for different concentrates.

When the two valves 21 and 30 are open, water under pressure may enterthe chamber 14 and may flow downwardly along the wall thereof in thepassageways 44-44 between the ribs 45-45, for discharge onto the top ofthe mixing table 43. Water may also enter the annular passage 52 throughthe ports 53-53 and pass along the restricted passageway 51 fordischarge through the jet passageway 56 in the form of a high velocityjet directed through the orifice 32 and onto the valve element 31. Thiswill scavenge concentrate and pulp from said mixing head and will alsoaspirate the concentrate through said orifice for distribution by thevalve element 31 and skirt 42 onto the mixing table 43 for mixture withwater discharged onto said mixing table through the passageways 44-44.From thence the mixed juice and concentrate may pass down the inside ofthe cylinder 36 through the open spider 37 for discharge through thenozzle 17.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A valve comprising a valve chamber, a valve member mounted in saidchamber for slidable movement therealong, a valve seat adjacent one endof said chamber for engagement with said valve member, an annularpermanent magnet encircling said valve chamber adjacent one end thereofand biasing said valve member into engage- 15111; with said valve seat,an electro-magnet encircling said valve chamber in spaced relation withrespect to said permanent magnet and selectively energizable to movesaid valve member against said permanent magnet to an open position outof engagement with said valve seat, and the electrical center of saidelectro-magnet being located at a predetermined distance from the lowerend of said valve chamber and so located with respect to the magneticcenter of said permanent magnet as to automatically stop movement ofsaid valve member into an open position prior to engagement with the endof said chamber.

2'. A mixing: valve comprising a valve chamber, a valve member slidablymounted in said chamber for movement therealong and having a centralvalve element, a valve seat in said chamber adapted to be engaged bysaid valve element, an annular permanent magnet encircling said chamberadjacent the upper end thereof and biasing said valve element intoengagement with said valve seat, an electro-mag'net encircling saidvalve chamber adjacent the lower endthereof and selectively energizableto move said valve member against said permanent magnet out ofengagement with said valve seat, said valve member having a plungerforming a support for said valve element on one end thereof and havingan opposite end depending from said valve chamber to permit opening ofthe valve by hand.

3. In a dispenser valve for concentrates, an open ended valve chamber, apassageway through a wall of said chamber for the discharge of waterthereinto, a flow characterizing head seated in said chamber having acentral open portion for the flow of liquid therethrough by gravity andalso having a flexible sealing and flow control diaphragm seated in theopen portion of said chamber and extending upwardly therein, with acentral orifice for the flow of concentrate therethrough, said flowcontrol diaphragm also extending along the bottom of said chamber andhaving a wall portion extending along the wall of said head in sealingengagement with the wall of said chamber and having a plurality ofspaced ribs forming passageways opening to the wall of said chamber andcommunicating with the passageway through the wall of said chamber andconducting water discharged therethrough for mixture with theconcentrate flowing through said orifice.

4, In a dispenser valve for concentrates, a valve chamber, a flowcharacterizing head seated in said chamber, said head having an opencentral portion for the flow of liquid therethrough by gravity andhaving a passage defining member extending across the open portionthereof having a discharge jet leading therefrom to discharge a highvelocity jet through the central portion of said head, a passageway forwater leading into said chamber through a wall thereof and a sealing andflow control diaphragm extending across the open portion of said headand having a central orifice for the flow of concentrate therethrough bygravity, said flow control diaphragm also extending outwardly along thebottom of said head and upwardly along the wall thereof and having aplurality of flow passageways leading through its wall and communicatingwith said passage defining member for supplying water thereto fordischarge through said discharge jet.

5. A dispenser valve for concentrates comprising a valve chamber, avalve member slidably movable along said chamber and having a centralvalve element, a passageway for water leading into said chamber adjacentthe upper cnd thereof, a flow characterizing head seated in said chamberin the region of said water passageway and having an open centralportion for the passage of concentrate therethrough, an aperturedflexible diaphragm extending across the bottom of said open centralportion of said head and upwardly along opposite sides thereof, theapertured portion of said diaphragm forming an orifice movable towardand from said valve element in accordance with the head of fluid thereonto effect a uniform flow of fluid through said flow characterizing head,and said diaphragm also having a flanged wall portion having sealingengagement with said valve chamber and having outwardly opening flowpassageways extending along said wall portion and cooperating with thewall of said chamber to conduct water for admixture with the concentrateflowing through said orifice.

6. A dispensing valve for concentrates comprising an open ended valvechamber, a valve member slidably movable along said chamber and having acentrally disposed valve element, a flow characterizing head seated insaid chamber, said head having an open central portion having a flexibleflow control diaphragm extending thereacross having a central floworifice leading therethrough and movable toward and away from said valveelement by the head of fluid on said diaphragm to provide a uniform flowthrough said flow characterizing head regardless of variations in thehead of fluid on said diaphragm, said diaphragm also extending along thebottom and upwardly along the side of said flow characterizing head intosealing engagement with the wall of said valve chamber, a passageway forwater leading into said chamber beneath the sealing surface between saiddiaphragm and chamber, a bridge extending across said head and having aflow passageway therein with a discharge jet directed toward saidcentral flow orifice, and a flow passageway through the side wall ofsaid diaphragm in communication with said water passageway in saidbridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS632,445 Craig Sept. 15, 1899 768,984 George Aug. 30, 1904 1,429,574England Sept. 19, 1922 1,630,695 England May 31, 1927 1,758,105 FrenchMay 13, 1930 2,082,606 Woodbridge June 1, 1937 2,102,824 White Dec. 21,1937 2,223,986 Eaton Dec. 3, 1940 2,389,134 Brown Nov. 20, 19452,454,929 Kempton Nov. 30, 1948 2,497,906 Peters Feb. 21, 1950 2,561,922Hall July 24, 1951 2,579,723 Best Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,920Italy 1928 OTHER REFERENCES Magnets, by C. R. Underhill, 1st edition,1924, McGraw- Hill Publishing Co., page 61.

